| 34min Read
Published on September 21, 2026
Creative Writing Workshop – Kunskapsskolan Gurgaon
Inspiring the Authors of Tomorrow...
9 am to 3 pm IST
5th-9th Jan 2027
Regular Fee: 20,000 + GST
Host School Fee: 15,000 + GST
Grades 8-12
Kunskapsskolan Gurgaon (KKG campus)
About the Workshop
What is the Creative Writing Workshop?
The Creative Writing Workshop helps students strengthen their critical and creative writing skills, develop their own writing voice, and explore the craft behind compelling storytelling.
Across five days, students will take part in guided writing exercises, explore story structure, dialogue, genre and pacing, and learn to edit and revise their work. Through peer feedback, guest sessions and a capstone project, they will work towards creating a polished, submission-ready short story by the end of the workshop.
The workshop brings together the practice of writing and the process of refining a story, helping students understand how ideas can develop into finished pieces of writing.
Where young writers meet the world of publishing
The Creative Writing Workshop, brought to you by Big Red Education in partnership with Penguin Random House India, gives students an opportunity to learn directly from experienced authors, editors, and publishing professionals.
Penguin Random House India's Children's and Young Adult division publishes fiction, non-fiction, picture books, chapter books, and comics through imprints including Puffin and Duckbill, giving students a real view of how stories are written, edited, pitched, published, and shared with readers.
WHY SHOULD YOU ENROL?
Have you always wanted to write, but weren't sure where to start?
Whether you already write regularly or are simply curious about storytelling, the workshop gives you an opportunity to learn directly from authors and publishing professionals from the Penguin Random House India ecosystem.
Students will learn to
More Than Just
Writing Lessons
A practical writing experience that takes students from exploring ideas and learning the craft to refining a story and sharing their own work.
Workshop Highlights
Find Ideas in Everyday Moments
Investigate how small, specific moments or choices can spark ideas for a story.
Navigate Writer’s Block
Explore ways to move past writer’s block and keep developing an idea into a story.
Build Stories Through Structure and Dialogue
Work on story structure, dialogue and writing techniques to shape and strengthen a piece.
Explore Genre, Pacing and Form
Experiment with different genres and understand how pacing and form influence a story.
Edit, Revise and Refine
Learn to revisit a draft, make purposeful revisions and refine a story into a polished piece.
Discover the Writer Within You!
Writing is one of the most important, though often underrated and underdeveloped, skills in our school systems. A student who is a good writer is automatically set up for success.
Strong writing skills help students express their ideas, communicate effectively, and persuade others.
What Will You Learn?
The workshop takes students through the different stages of the writing and publishing process.
Learning to read like a writer
Understanding structure and technique
Building and supporting your plot
Developing characters and sketching out setting
Finding and developing your writing voice
Peer review and editing
Understanding publishing and pitching
Helpful tips for submitting your written work
Do Any Of These Apply To You?
If you nodding your head right now, we’ve got just the program for you! Keep Scrolling to know details!
I want my words to persuade, to challenge, to provoke thought, and to make listeners feel the weight of my argument.
What will YOU Learn?
DAY 1
- An introduction to the world of the book and a discussion of what constitutes a good book. Participants will be encouraged to identify what excites them and what they want to write. There will be an overview of some of the key elements of writing, such as plot, character, narrative style and genre, among others. After some warm-up writing exercises, there will be a discussion on how to start well.
DAY 2
- This day will be devoted to developing characters and dialogue, with an emphasis on empathy, narrative voices and points of view. There will be a guest lecture: Samit Basu on writing science fiction and fantasy.
DAY 3
- The day will begin with an introduction to writing non-fiction, including a guest lecture by Mamta Nainy on how to research and use the researched material effectively . The afternoon will be devoted to understanding different genres and a preliminary discussion for capstone project, bringing together the different elements worked on.
DAY 4
- The day will begin with an overview of publishing, with a specific focus on pitching to publishers and writing a synopsis. The participants will be asked to bring the day’s learnings to developing capstone project. A guest lecture from Nandita Basu on creating graphic novels.
DAY 5
- An introduction to editing and how to use editorial tools. A feedback session on the capstone project, and the final presentation of the project.
A Five-Day Writing Journey
Character, Motivation, Narrative Hook
Through hands-on exercises, we will create believable characters driven by a want or need. We will discuss how a story is created when we have a character, something that drives them, an obstacle, and a change.
Using mentor texts, we will look at how writers make readers root for a particular character or idea.
Voice and World
How do we use dialogue effectively? What point of view works best when we are telling a story? How can we develop a story idea and make it come alive to a reader?
A guest speaker will also join us for a session on fantasy, voice and worldbuilding.
Plot and Tension
Through a series of exercises on technique and structure, we will look at how we pace a story and make the reader curious to know what will happen next. Specifically, we will see how we can raise the stakes to create suspense and anticipation.
A guest lecture on mystery and suspense will bring these ideas to life.
Writing, Editing and Peer Review
Stitching together the written exercises conducted over the previous three days, we will explore hands-on editing exercises and move on to peer review.
To bring in the editor’s perspective, a guest speaker from the world of editing will join us.
Polish and Share
We will work on a cover letter and bio, exploring the process of querying and submission.
Each student will have the chance to put forth an elevator pitch for their story, a deliberate choice they made in terms of the craft of storytelling, and a short reflection on what they found eye-opening during the five intensive days of writing.
Start Your Writing Journey
Develop your voice, strengthen your writing, and bring your own capstone project to life through five days of guided writing, feedback, editing, and publishing.
Apply NowLearn from a Penguin Author
Discover how to develop ideas, craft compelling stories, and find your unique voice as a writer, with insights from the Penguin Random House India publishing ecosystem.
Varsha Seshan
Varsha Seshan is an award-winning children’s writer based in Pune. Her book The Wall Friends Club won the Crossword Book Award 2025 and the FICCI Special Jury Award for Children’s Book of the Year 2026. She writes for children of all ages and has been shortlisted for multiple awards, including the AG-BLF Prize for Children’s Fiction, the Neev Book Award, the Singapore Book Award, and the Scholastic Asian Book Award. She conducts online book clubs and writing programmes for ages seven to 14.
Modules
What will you learn?
DAY 1 — Discovering the World of Writing
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
KNOW YOUR PAST PROGRAMME DIRECTORS
From an Idea to a Finished Piece
The capstone brings together the skills students develop throughout the five-day workshop. Students will build on their writing exercises, shape an original short story, and refine it through feedback, editing and revision.
By the end of Day 5, every student will have a polished, submission-ready short story.
Students will present a one-line pitch for their short story and briefly reflect on their writing process and the deliberate storytelling choices they made.
A polished short story, experience refining work through feedback and editing, and the opportunity to pitch their story and explain the craft choices behind it.
Hear From Our Students
Real experiences. Real voices. Hear what our students have to say.
Guest Speakers
Samit Basu
Mamta Nainy
Nandita Basu
Our Partnership With Penguin Random House India
Where Young Writers Meet a World of Stories.
Big Red Education, in partnership with Penguin Random House India, brings together education and publishing to create a writing experience that goes beyond the classroom.
Penguin Random House India has a dedicated Children's and Young Adult division, publishing across fiction, non-fiction, picture books, chapter books, comics, and more. Its children's publishing includes Puffin and Duckbill.
The workshop gives students an opportunity to learn from authors whose work is part of Penguin Random House India's catalogue, alongside experienced publishing professionals.
For young writers, this means getting closer to the world they aspire to enter: the world of books, authors, editors, and publishing.
Ready to Begin? Apply Now to Join the Workshop!
Take the First Step Toward Your Next Big Opportunity!
Apply NowReady to Begin? Apply Now to Join the Workshop!
Take the First Step Toward Your Next Big Opportunity!
Planning to attend as
part of a group or
school delegation?
Grab an exclusive
15% scholarship for
your group or school delegation by clicking on this link!
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